Tag Archives: Town Hall Brewery

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Town Hall Brewery Barrel-Aged Week Preview

In an ever-shifting beer market, few constants remain. Thankfully one of those constants resides in the Seven Corners area of Minneapolis. Town Hall Brewery has been delighting the local beer fanatics with their barrel aged offerings for nearly two decades now.
Back in 2000, Town Hall’s head brewer called down to the Jack Daniels distillery inquiring as to whether or not a barrel may be available for purchase. The distillery obliged and sold it to Hoops for the cool sum of $45 (plus $75 shipping). My how things have changed since then. Not only are used barrels significantly more expensive, but the beers they are aged in have exploded, becoming one of the more sought after styles.

That beer was the first Czar Jack, the now iconic barrel aged stout, that went on to win a gold medal at the 2001 GABF. This medal was far from their last.

I was fortunate enough to be allowed a sneak peak into this year’s offerings and I can tell you that Head Brewer, Mike Hoops’ passion is still there after all these years. I was able to get a minute with Mike after the preview and tour. I had to ask him, what drives him to keep up such high standards? After all, coming out of the gate with a GABF gold medal sets the bar awfully high. He confided in me, that while he loves the year-round offerings of the brewery, he gets particularly excited to work with these barrel aged beers. That passion shows, not only in the final product but the way he and his team showcased it for those of us in attendance. Each beer was carefully discussed, from the new custom glassware that these beers will be served in this year (specially designed for barrel aged beers, and yes, they are as cool as you imagine), to the sourcing of the honey for the incredible Eye Wine Red and White.

These are nuanced, complex beers, no two are the same. While the base beers are essentially unchanged from year to year, those barrels have a story and a character of their own. We were treated to the following beers.

Buffalo bock – Big barrel aged Weizenbock, huge banana, toasted caramel, marshmallow, vanilla notes.

Foolish Angel – Belgian Quad aged in bourbon barrels. MONSTROUS fig flavor.

Eye of The Storm – Red and White. The red is a Minnesota Honey Ale aged in French oak red wine barrels. You get waves of honey on the nose and a nice balance of grape acidity and sweetness from the honey. The white is crisp and dry, a bit softer.

Barrel Aged Week is one of the best beer events anywhere. Full details below.

The week begins at 10 am on Sunday, February 19th, with the pre-sale for this year’s selection of 750mL mini-growlers of barrel-aged beer.

On Tuesday, February 21st, Town Hall hosts their annual Barrel Dinner! This coursed meal is paired with our barrel-aged beers and presented by Brewmaster Mike Hoops and Chef Matt Lepisto. Reservations fill up fast, so make yours today!
Friday, February 21st | 7 pm | $99 per person (includes food, drinks, tax, and gratuity)

Barrel Aged Week Release Schedule 2017:

Sunday, February 19th | 10 am
750ml Growler Pre-Sale | If you’re looking to take home this year’s barrel-aged releases, this is your chance! Tickets go on sale at 10 am; beers can be picked up once they are released on tap.

Monday, February 20th | 5 pm
Foolish Red | Belgian-style Quadrupel aged in French oak red wine barrels.
Foolish Angel | Belgian-style Quadrupel aged in bourbon barrels.
Single Barrel Reserve Foolish Angel | A very special single-barrel offering.

Tuesday, February 21st | 5 pm
Manhattan Reserve | Belgian-style Grand Cru with red tart cherries, aged in bourbon barrels.

Wednesday, February 22nd | 5 pm
Twisted Trace | American Barleywine aged in bourbon barrels.
E.T. Wee | Scottish-style Wee Heavy aged in bourbon barrels.

Thursday, February 23rd | 5 pm
Eye Wine Red | Minnesota Honey Ale aged in French oak red wine barrels.
Eye Wine White | Minnesota Honey Ale aged in American chardonnay barrels.
Le Baltique | Baltic Porter aged in French oak red wine barrels.

Friday, February 24th | 5 pm
Project 3106 | Belgian-style Strong Brown Ale with kumquat and chocolate, aged in bourbon barrels.
Buffalo Bock | German-style Weizenbock aged in bourbon barrels.

Saturday, February 25th | 11 am
Czar Jack | The granddaddy of them all. Russian Imperial Stout aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels.

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Minneapolis Cider Week

Cider is a growing section of the beverage market in Minnesota and across the nation. You don’t need to look far to see the growth. Locally crafted and sourced cider is being produced all over the Minnesota, at places like Sociable Cider Werks in Minneapolis and Wyndfall Cyder out of La Crescent, MN. To celebrate the growing Minneapolis cider market and consumer demand, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery has partnered with several other cider purveyors in a week-long series of events.

Minneapolis Cider Week

MINNEAPOLIS CIDER WEEK EVENTS:

$2 Off Cider Sampler Platters

Tuesday, June 2

$2 off cider sampler platters at Town Hall Brewery, Town Hall Tap, Town Hall Lanes and Republic 7 Corners.

Bowling Tournament at Town Hall Lanes

6 p.m., Wednesday, June 3

Event includes two games of bowling (with shoes) and $2 off all tap ciders. Appetizers will also be provided. Tickets are $25 and limited — call (612) 767-3354.

Cider Competition Awards Ceremony at Town Hall Brewery

8 p.m., Thursday, June 4

Entries from home cider makers will be judged and awarded for the categories of Dry, Sweet or Other.

Register and find more information at http://thcidercomp.northernbrewer.com. There is a $6 entry fee.

Deadline to enter is 5 p.m., Sunday, May 31 — submit entries at Northern Brewer and Midwest Supplies locations.

Cider Class at Republic 7 Corners

6 p.m., Friday, June 5

Free class to learn about ciders — call (612) 338-6146 for reservations.

2nd Annual Minneapolis Bicycle Cider Crawl

11 a.m.–close, Saturday, June 6

Bicyclists can visit five of the six participating locations to secure a punch-card, which is to be dropped off at their last stop to enter into a drawing for five gift baskets filled with cider, gift cards, glasses and swag. Participating locations are: Town Hall Brewery, Town Hall Tap, Town Hall Lanes, Republic 7 Corners, Sociable Cider Werks and South Lyndale Liquor Store.

Cider Fest at Town Hall Brewery and Republic 7 Corners

3–6 p.m., Saturday, June 6

Taste hard-to-find ciders alongside favorites from local, national and international producers. Tickers are $25 for unlimited samples and a Cider Week glass. Order tickets online: http://www.tempotickets.com/event/0Ivnnn#sthash.ZdE3k22Z.dpuf

MN Beercast – Cider Edition! Plus, LTD Brewing


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Sociable Cider Werks Jim
Jim from Social Cider Werks on Minnesota BeerCast
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1,700 Empty Growlers of Beer at Town Hall Brewery

Town Hall’s Growler Return Program a Smashing Success

In case you miseed it with all the other Mn Craft Beer Week & American Craft Beer Week events going on, Town Hall Brewery, the award-winning Minneapolis brewpub, has been running a special “Growler Spring Cleaning Program.” The recycling program offers discounts in exchange for any empty growler, from any brewpub or brewery. The #RefillTownHall has been so successful they have extended it through Sunday, May 17.


Town Hall Brewery estimates more than 1,700 empty growlers have been returned since the campaign started April 27, roughly 75 percent of those have been from other breweries or brewpubs. Most of the growlers have been from Twin Cities breweries, while there is also growler representation from Greater Minnesota and Wisconsin, as well as California.

Town Hall Brewery is encouraging craft beer fans to clean out their collections and bring in used growlers to their Seven Corners location: 1430 Washington Ave. South in Minneapolis. In return for each empty growler, customers will receive either a Town Hall Brewery gift card worth $4, or a $4 discount on a fresh, full Town Hall 64oz or 750ml growler. The more growlers a person exchanges, the bigger their reward. It should be noted that ONLY the Seven Corners location is set up to accept take growlers, but you’ll be able to use the gift cards at any Town Hall Location.

In addition, for each empty growler you bring in, you can enter to win the following prizes:

  • 4-pack (mini growlers) of Town Hall’s famed ‘Barrel Aged’ beers.
  • A free Town Hall growler every month for a year.
  • Bowling party for four at Town Hall Lanes.
  • Private brewery tour for eight at Town Hall Brewery.
  • Dinner for two at Town Hall Tap.
  • Other Town Hall gift cards, growlers, and merchandise.

Through the rest of the May Town Hall will continue to accept empty growlers from other breweries in exchange for a $4 discount on growler refills. Thereafter, the discount for empty returns from other breweries will be $3.

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Barrel Aged Week at Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery

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barrel aged dice rollToday (Monday) kicks off Barrel Aged Week at Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery. The annual week long celebration is a treat for anyone that loves beer aged in barrels.

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery has been aging beer in wooden barrels since a phone call brought a barrel of Jack Daniels to the brewery in 2000. An Imperial Stout was brewed, then aged in that barrel of Old #7 and the next year it took home a Gold Medal from GABF in the Experimental Category.

As time went on more barrels were acquired, more awards were won, and Town Hall’s barrel-aged beer releases morphed into a whole week of beers in 2009. Wildly successful in both awards and popularity, every year Minnesota beer fans have lined up early the week before barrel aged week to reserve growlers of the limited beer. That is still the case. However, this year there will be some opportunities to get your hands on some of the beer if you didn’t have your Sunday morning free to stand out in the cold. At every release there will be chances (limited of course) to roll a few dice and win a chance to purchase a growler of barrel aged beer release of the day.

Buffalo Trace
Good things come to those that wait.

Also new this year are 750ml growlers, and flights of 3 beers, at 5oz each. It can be tough to tackle these beers alone. Smaller servings in both on-sale and off-sale format make it easier to approach these big beers.

Listen to Head Brewer Mike Hoops talk about the history of Barrel Aged Week at Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, as well as this year’s beers and pairings on the latest MN BeerCast.


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Minnesota Brewers well represented at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival

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Steel Toe Brewing GABF Gold Medal
Steel Toe Brewing GABF Gold Medal
Photo Credit: Dan Kearney

This weekend, brewers from around the country gathered for the annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. Put on by the Brewers Association, the GABF is among the largest in the world. More than 700 breweries poured 1oz samples of 3,500 beers from all over the America to about 49,000 attendees. One of the highlights of the weekend long madness is the beer competition. The competition  is comprised of brewing industry professionals evaluating approximately 5,700 entries from over 1,300 breweries, in 90 unique beer categories.

Six Minnesota brewers were awarded medals during the brewing competition award ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Minnesota was well represented, bringing home two more awards than in 2013, and 3 three more than in 2012. Gold medals went to Badger Hill Brewing for White IPA in the American-Belgo category, and Steel Toe Brewing for Wee Heavy in the Scotch Ale Category. Indeed Brewing took home a silver for Mexican Honey in the Specialty Honey Beer Category. Summit Brewing won Bronze for Extra Pale Ale (EPA) in the Classic English-Style Pale Ale. Arguably the king of barrel aging beer in Minnesota, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery was awarded Bronze for Buffalo Bock, a Weizenbock aged in Buffalo Trace Barrels, among the the Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer. Rounding out the Minnesota winners list is relative newcomers, Bent Paddle Brewing. The Duluth brewery captured a Bronze with 14° ESB in the Extra Special Bitter category.

Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Buffalo Bock
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Buffalo Bock paired with cherry tart
Photo Credit: Andrew Schmitt
Award Criteria
GABF_gold A world-class beer that accurately exemplifies the specified style, displaying the proper balance of taste, aroma and appearance.
GABF_Silver An excellent beer that may vary slightly from style parameters while maintaining close adherence to the style and displaying excellent taste, aroma and appearance.
GABF_bronze A fine example of the style that may vary slightly from style parameters and/or have minor deviations in taste, aroma or appearance.

Gold – White IPA – Badger Hill Brewing – American-Belgo-Style Ale 2014
Gold – Wee Heavy – Steel Toe Brewing – Scotch Ale 2014
Silver – Mexican Honey – Indeed Brewing Co. – Specialty Honey Beer 2014
Bronze – Extra Pale Ale – Summit Brewing Co. – Classic English-Style Pale Ale 2014
Bronze – Buffalo Bock – Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery – Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer 2014
Bronze – 14° ESB – Bent Paddle Brewing Co. – Extra Special Bitter 2014

Congratulations to all the winners!

Full list of Great American Beer Festival winners can be found here.

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Blessing of the Maibock at All Three Town Hall Locations

Maibock, the spring time seasonal beer that heralds the arrival of warmer weather and easier days for beer fans. Town Hall Brewery will embrace that annual tradition on Saturday, May 3, when they tap a Maibock to help Minnesota FINALLY put the winter of 2014 behind us.

Father Aron Kramer, Vicar at St. Andrew’s By the Lake, will perform a short blessing over the Maibock at each Town Hall location. In years past this tradition has at times been a bit crowded and sometimes hard to hear. With the new sound system and remodeling at Town Hall Brewery it should be more enjoyable at that particular location. Going all in on tradition, and in a nod to Maibock’s country of origin, the restaurants will be adding German food items to their menus for the celebration.

Join the celebration at the Town Hall Tap at 3 PM or Town Hall Lanes at 4 PM. Attendees will get one free Maibock and happy hour pricing. (FREE BEER!) The festivities at the Brewery start at 5 PM and include a blessing of the brewery and free Maibock until 6 PM.

Town Hall will also celebrate that other rite of spring, The Kentucky Derby, on May 3rd, as the Maibock ceremonies will be over before the 5:24 post time and the televisions will be tuned in.

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Town Hall Lanes Opens

town hall lanesLike beer? Of course you do. Like Bowling? Who doesn’t? The minds behind Minneapolis’ famed Town Hall Brewery are bringing you the best of both worlds.

Town Hall Lanes will join the likes of Town Hall Brewery and Town Hall Tap bringing the total of Town Hall establishments to three. The bowling alley will feature 10 bowling lanes, a full functioning restaurant kitchen, and beer from Mike Hoops at Town Hall Brewery.

Bowling on brand new lanes with great food and locally brewed craft beer, where can I sign up for a league?

Town Hall Lanes
5019 34th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55417

Town Hall Lanes on Facebook


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Video: Understanding MN Beer Tax Laws with BBS University

Better Beer Society UniversityI was honored to moderate a great discussion panel about beer and taxes in Minnesota at Better Beer Society University.

Luckily we avoided the excise tax increase this year. To see how everything played out in the legislature click here.

Pop some popcorn and watch the beer business wisdom flow from Paul Morrissey jr. (Capitol Beverage), Dan Schwarz (Lift bridge), Jason Alvey (Four Firkins), Joe Falkowski (JJ Taylor), Pete Rifakes (Town Hall brewery), Mark Joseph (Ale jail).

Many thanks to Rob at BBS for including consumers in the conversation.